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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23739469">Out of bounds (out of line)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaytriestowrite/pseuds/jaytriestowrite'>jaytriestowrite</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stray Kids (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, I think?, I'm sorry Minho, Injury, Lee Minho | Lee Know-centric, M/M, Non-Idol AU, So much angst, Spiker! minho, Volleyball, Volleyball AU, a little bit of iwaoi feels, established minsung, for anyone who watches haikyuu, jisung is an angel, minsung - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 01:20:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,029</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23739469</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaytriestowrite/pseuds/jaytriestowrite</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Minho knows he shouldn't. Everyone has told him to stop. His boyfriend, his parents, his teammates, even his doctors. But he can't stop himself.</p><p>He should have known better.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>64</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Out of bounds (out of line)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I am a massive haikyuu nerd (and a libero) so I've been dying to write a volleyball fic. That said, I didn't expect it to be so angsty (i'm sorry). It isn't named in the fic, but Minho has disc degeneration, which is a condition that generally affects older folks, but can also be caused by playing a lot of impact sports. It's very loosely based on my own experience with it, but mine is mild so I took some artistic liberty. </p><p>Thanks to @<a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/galaxialapine">galaxialapine</a>  for helping me beta :)</p><p>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The volleyball court was silent except for the sounds of Minho’s harsh breathing and the repetitive thud of volleyballs hitting the hardwood floor.</p><p>
  <em>Toss. Run. Jump. Hit. Land. Repeat.</em>
</p><p>Minho’s legs wobbled as he picked up another ball, tossed it into the air and forced himself off the ground. The ball streaked past the white markers and slammed into the floorboards. Out of bounds.</p><p>
  <em>Have to get better. Need to keep going. Have to get better.</em>
</p><p>Gritting his teeth, Minho picked up the next ball, walking back to the service line. Taking a shaky breath, he tossed the ball upwards, tracing its path through the air through the sweaty bangs that hung in his eyes. His arms swung backwards, building momentum as he leapt into the air, left arm whipping backwards, coming into contact with the ball-</p><p>Except it didn’t.</p><p>Fire erupted in Minho’s lower back just as his feet left the court. A pained gasp escaped his lips as he tumbled to the ground. He felt utter, unrelenting agony as white-hot claws ripping through his lower back, sparks radiating through his spine as he writhed against the ground. He attempted to call for help, but his lungs heaved from the sheer effort to breathe. Minho drew a shuddering breath as he lay with his back pressed against the floor, the blinding overhead lights filling his vision. Tears made their way, unbidden, to his eyes. <em>Not even good enough to land a jump serve. And you call yourself the ace. </em>He choked out a humourless laugh. <em>What a joke.</em></p><p>“Minho!”</p><p><em>That’s funny. Trust my brain to conjure Jisung’s voice to try to make me feel better.</em> Minho felt the tears slip down his cheeks. <em>I’ve let him down, too.</em></p><p>“You complete idiot, what were you thinking?” Minho felt his head being moved, being cradled in someone’s arms, and he blinked in confusion. What was happening?</p><p>Slim fingers, familiar fingers, brushed the sweaty hair from Minho’s eyes. Realisation dawned on him and, after a few hard blinks, Jisung’s furious face materialised above him. Minho felt a smile spread across his features. Jisung was here.</p><p>“-are you doing out here in the middle of the night?” Oh, Jisung was talking. “You scared me to death! You promised me you wouldn’t do this anymore! The doctors warned you what would happen of you pushed yourself too hard! You-”</p><p>“I- I’m sorry,” Minho whispered hoarsely. “I- couldn’t get it right. I’m not good enough to get it right. I’m sorry.”</p><p>Jisung stilled in the middle of his rant, round eyes growing solemn. “Lee Minho, you have a <em>chronic injury</em> that doctors have <em>persistently told you</em> needs rehabilitation,” Jisung said, holding Minho’s wrists firmly. “You are an amazing spiker, it’s not for no reason you’re ranked 4<sup>th</sup> in the country. You’re our ace for goodness sake-“</p><p>“I’m no ace!” Minho burst out. “Look at me! I can’t even get a fucking<em> jump serve</em> to land in bounds. My body’s so fucked up that every dive I take leaves me winded for the next ten minutes. I’ve played volleyball for sixteen years, I’ve captained two teams, and yet I've never won a single medal. Tell me, what good am I as the ace? What’s the point of playing for so long?”</p><p>Angry tears dripped down Minho’s cheeks as his outburst ended with a choked sob. “I need to do this, Sungie,” he whispered hoarsely. “I need to. All these years can’t have been for nothing.”</p><p>Hot tears splashed across Minho’s nose, and he realised with a jolt that Jisung was crying, too. His heart clenched. “Don’t say that,” he pleaded. “Hyung, you’re amazing, please don’t say that.” He breathed shakily, hands cupping Minho’s cheeks, gently wiping tears with his thumbs. Minho leaned into his touch, trying to calm his brain as it raced through regrets, frustrations, disappointments, squeezing his eyes shut.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” he repeated. But he didn’t know what he was saying sorry for. Whether it was for worrying him, or for breaking his promise, or most likely, because he couldn’t find it in himself to believe what Jisung was saying. He knew Jisung could see the conflict in his eyes, because it was reflected right back at him. Tears continued to prickle his eyes as he watched Jisung draw a deep breath and sag into the ground, fight leaving him.</p><p>“Let’s just go back to the dorm, hyung,” Jisung said gently. “You should take your painkillers and get some rest.”</p><p>Minho nodded mutely, not wanting to argue. Not to mention, the sharp ache in his back still thrummed unbearably through him, and painkillers sounded like a fantastic idea. He let Jisung pull him to his feet, shaking off his attempts to pick him up in a bridal-carry, and instead rested his weight against him as they hobbled back to the dorms. He obediently took the pill his boyfriend passed to him and threw it back with a mouthful of water, watching Jisung carry Minho’s pillow from his bed to his own. By wordless agreement, they slipped under the covers together. Jisung’s smaller frame wrapped itself around Minho’s, his arms pulling the older boy against his chest.</p><p>“Feeling better?” Jisung asked, breath tickling the back of Minho’s neck.</p><p>Minho felt fresh tears forming at the back of his eyes.  No, he wasn’t better. He knew what conversation they were going to have tomorrow and he knew how difficult it would be. He still didn’t know how to feel about his insecurities and about his injury. And he couldn’t shake the distinct feeling that he had let Jisung down. But he knew Jisung was asking about the painkillers, not his unwanted thoughts, so he swallowed thickly and responded, “Yeah.”</p><p>“That’s good,” Jisung hummed, voice hushed. “Good night.”</p><p>Minho felt Jisung press a soft kiss against his nape, and despite the cacophony in his head, a wistful smile touched his lips. He really didn’t deserve him. “Sweet dreams,” he answered, burrowing into Jisung’s arms. He focused on the even puffs of air from his boyfriend’s breaths against his neck, trying to ignore the persistent thoughts battering his brain, and drifted into a fitful sleep.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>-end-</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i'm sorry</p><p>I wanted to turn this into a multi-chapter fic and give Minho one final victory at the end, but I don't think I'm ready to write a long fic yet, so for now this shall remain as a one-shot. That said, if anyone wants to continue this, go ahead! Just let me know in advance :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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